This invention relates to a dispenser for containing and dispensing small articles and more particularly to a portable dispenser having an asymmetrical cross-section for indicating the correct position of dispersement and being easily operable by a person who experiences difficulty in grasping and rotating small objects.
Persons with arthritis in their hands are hindered in the strength and dexterity of their fingers. Unfortunately, when the need arises to take medication or the like, the arthritic person experiences difficulty in grasping a common pill dispenser's cap and generating sufficient torque to remove the cap from the dispenser. Furthermore, the grasping of the pill dispenser itself is a difficult task. Accordingly, a pill dispenser which rests in the hands of the arthritic person having an easily accessible opening is desirable. However, to prevent the accidental spillage of pills, the dispenser should indicate to the user where the location of the dispenser's opening is located. For people who are visually impaired, the dispenser opening indicator should be easily recognizable.
U.S. Pat. No. 889,568 discloses a compartment for containing small articles slidably mounted within a casing. However, this tray is symmetrical and the user may accidently retrieve the tray from the sleeve with the opening of the tray pointing downward thus causing an accidental spillage of the articles contained within the tray. U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,448 discloses a child-proof container which contains small articles whereupon the opening of the container is located at one end of the container. However, in order to open the cover the user is required to deform the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 828,151 discloses a receptacle which is corrugated longitudinally to form longitudinal troughs for pills. The receptacle is designed for presenting a container containing pills so the box may be opened so that the coating from the pills is not ruptured or ground from the cover. The cover embraces the sides of the receptacle and are turned inwardly at the lower edges to engage the bottom of the receptacle. While such a design prevents the rupturing of the coating from the pills, it is not easily operable by a person with arthritis who has difficulty grasping objects. Since the receptacle has a lower profile than the cover, the receptacle will rest in the person's hand thereby preventing slidable movement of the receptacle. In order to operate the box, the sides of the cover must be grasped in moving the receptacle from the user's palm thereby moving the receptacle with respect to the cover. This manner of operation is difficult for the arthritic person. Alternatively, if the receptacle rests in the user's hand, the user must apply pressure to the cover to slide the cover with respect to the receptacle thereby exposing the pills. Once again, the application of force by a person with arthritis on the flat surface of the cover to move the cover with respect to the receptacle is very difficult. While this cover provides a suitable means for protecting the pills, it is not easily operable by an arthritic person.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,534,100 discloses a container for cosmetics having a box and a cover. This patent discloses the use of a asymmetrical sleeve for receiving a asymmetrical tray which does not produce a reliable positioning of the trays opening in an upward direction. Accordingly, the danger exists in that the tray would be open with the tray pointing downward thereby dislodging the contents stored within the container. Such a design, is undesirable due to the consequences of the potential of dropping the stored items and that the arthritic person would have further difficulty in picking up the dropped items and placing them back in the container.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a small article dispenser which enables a person of limited dexterity to have access to the articles contained within the dispenser and which may easily be oriented;
Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a small article dispenser for persons with limited dexterity and/or eyesight having an easily identifiable indicator indicating the position of the dispenser opening, thereby eliminating accidental spillage of the contained articles;
A further object of the present invention is to provide a small article container for people with limited dexterity which is portable and only requires the use of a finger for opening or closing the dispenser.